This blog has nothing to do with gorillas (though I love 'em)...fellow bloggers have inspired me to share vintage images of Disneyland from my personal collection. But don't be surprised if you see something from a World's Fair, Knott's Berry Farm, or someplace else that is cool!

Wednesday, January 07, 2015

I love today's pair of photos! They were both taken on Tom Sawyer Island, a place that is brilliant in its simplicity. The fact that you have to take a raft to get there is genius… it really is an island, isolated from the rest of the park by a broad green river. I was a reader when I was a kid, and the stories of Mark Twain made me wish that I had a place to explore - a place with caves and hideaways, forts and tree houses.

Tom Sawyer Island felt like that place; I remember the first time I went through the caves, and felt a bit apprehensive. What if I got lost, like Injun Joe? Following the paths, one wondered what was around the next bend. Hey, a swaying suspension bridge! Cool!

Kids were encouraged to climb the rock formations - it was irresistible. The best thing was when your parents stayed down below and let you go up by yourself. This kid knows what I'm talking about.

Over at Castle Rock, guests followed the winding trail up to the peak. I wish the kid on top had pointed his rear end some other direction, but hey, he's a daredevil. When you think about it, he could have slipped and really hurt himself! I've never heard of any accidents of that sort. In today's litigious world, it's no wonder that features like this had to be removed. Believe it or not, I haven't been back to the island since it became the "Pirates Lair on Tom Sawyer Island", seven years ago.

11 comments:

There was one spot on Tom Sawyer Island where I was injured a few times over the years. It was in Fort Wilderness where I would whack the top of my head on a to-short doorway. I remember it being extremely painful, enough to visit the Disneyland nurse. Surprisingly I never whacked my head on the "mine thy head" branch on the Swiss Family Treehouse. Nice unusual set today. Thanks, Major.

What beautiful, clear shots! Just what I needed on this dark, freezing, snowy day!

I remember the first time I went into the caves on Tom Sawyer Island - I was just impressionable enough to feel like I might get lost, but not quite impressionable enough to be truly afraid at the prospect. The adventure level was just right!

Did the Fort have mounted rifles you could use to "shoot" invaders with? I seem to remember that being a feature. I seem to remember letting few survivors pass on the steam ship ride around the island if I was in the Fort.

Pirate's Lawyers Island did have some excellent features for my kids. The caves were absolutely terrifying and they were bound and determined to get as many fake gold coins (all welded/glued together in a huge mound) they could. They never succeeded since I kept pushing them out of the way . . .

K. Martinez, you should have SUED the Disney Company! For zillions of dollars!

MRaymond, I'm not crazy about heights either, but somehow Castle Rock was OK.

Melissa, while I don't want freezing snow, I wish it was a bit more wintery here… I needed the air conditioner in the car. Meanwhile, I love your "chroma key" idea!

JG, it is true, when I think back on it, I'm amazed I didn't accidentally kill myself during my childhood. My and my friends took some stupid chances on stuff. I suppose that kids' definition of what is fun has changed a lot over the years… the island is still fun, I'm sure, just in a different way. I probably would have loved the pirate stuff when I was eight.

JG, just think of how many others bonked their heads on that same spot every day!

KS, my folks always wanted to come with us… I think it was less about keeping an eye on us and more about wanting to see what was there.

Alonzo, don't give the Disney lawyers any ideas!

tviano, they did have rifles that you could aim and pretend to shoot; at some point a little girl somehow slipped while her finger was on the trigger and she actually lost the finger. This was probably at least 10 years ago. Talk about a freak accident! A pencil can be a deadly object if misused, I suppose. Let's ban all of them!

The fort did have rifles in the blockhouses (or maybe it was just one blockhouse - memory's slightly hazy on this one). You'd pull the trigger, and they would shoot out a loud, sharp burst of air. Not only did they sound like a (toy) gun shot, they also would push nearby foliage out of the way, making it look like you'd actually fired a gun.

According to Yesterland, a 6-year-old girl lost most of a finger when she slipped while playing with one of the guns in January 2001, with the blockhouse(s) boarded up almost immediately afterwards. They did not reopen for the remainder of the time the building remained standing.

The rifles still fire at Ft Wilderness' younger brother, Ft Langhorne, on WDW's TSI, although they do not have trigger guards, presumably to avoid a repeat finger loss incident.

Whoops - looks like I was writing my response as you were writing yours, Major. Sorry about that. On the positive side, they say it's good to repeat information if you really want to make a point stick in your audience's minds.

Whoops - looks like I was writing my response as you were writing yours, Major. Sorry about that. On the positive side, they say it's good to repeat information if you really want to make a point stick in your audience's minds.